Essential Power Tools to Handle Whatever Your House and Yard Throw at You
It doesn’t take long to realize that buying a home really isn’t the hardest part of having a home. From leaks in the basement to noises in the attic, maintaining a house certainly requires know-how, but the right tools—including some strategically chosen power tools—can go a long way. Picking quality versions is always the right answer. Many times DIYers and some contractors jerry-rig things when having the right tool makes a huge difference, says Rob Robillard, carpenter, remodeler, and owner of A Concord Carpenter. For the best results on DIY jobs, focus your shopping on quality power tool brands like Milwaukee and DeWalt or any of the options highlighted below.
Power tools have changed the way pros and DIYers work by making tasks easier and faster. A battery-powered 18-gauge nail gun, used to fasten baseboard and crown molding, works well enough now (after years of trial and error from manufacturers) that pros no longer install trim by hand hammering nails. In addition, these battery-powered tools have replaced or supplemented fussier pneumatic versions, too. While a classic screwdriver, hammer, and level remain the backbone of any DIYer’s tool kit, power tools are evolving to become smaller and lighter, and there are many great battery-powered options available today.
Power Tools vs. Hand Tools
When it comes to picking between a hand tool and a power tool that are both designed to do the same job, ask yourself if it’s worth paying for a power tool’s speed at the sacrifice of precision. For example, a powered hacksaw will cut faster than you can by hand, but it might not be as accurate (a blade reciprocating at fast speeds is harder to control). If you don’t often need to cut metal, it might be overkill.
The powered route might make sense in other areas, though: A powered pruner can be helpful if you have seasonal pruning that you tend to each spring and fall—the repeated action of squeezing a hand tool might cause fatigue.
Cordless vs. Corded Power Tools
The advancement in power tools today is almost exclusively in the cordless category, and some corded tool versions are nearly extinct—it's difficult to even find a corded drill/driver these days. The main benefit of a cordless tool comes down to the convenience of not being tethered to a plug and not worrying about finding an outlet. Pros like Robillard are on the clock, moving from one job to the next, and often working out of a van or in homes that have no power or limited outlets. For them, it makes sense to show up ready to work without the need to hunt for an outlet.
“As far as power tools go, we are 99 percent cordless on the jobsite,” Robillard tells Men’s Journal, “except for when we are on a large-scale job or a framing job where we want to plug in our miter and table saws and use pneumatic nail guns because it’s just faster and easier.”
While cordless, battery-powered options provide convenience, they're not always the right fit for a DIYer. Most battery-powered tools cost more than corded versions. For homeowners, that freedom might be worth the added cost if you work out of a shed that doesn’t have power, for example, or if you want the ability to work from the attic to the basement without constantly plugging and unplugging. On the other hand, if you do a lot of DIYing in a garage that has ample outlets, cordless options may not have much of an advantage over their corded counterparts.
Battery and Motor Specs
Power tools vary a lot based on the jobs they’re designed to tackle, but there are a few common specs to consider.
Motor Type: The better cordless tools have brushless motors. Although pricer, they’re more efficient and require less maintenance than traditional brushed motors. Brushless is quickly becoming the standard in cordless power tools.
Voltage and Amp-Hours: Voltage denotes the power of a particular tool, and amp-hours is a measure of battery capacity. Think of volts like a car's horsepower and amp-hours as the fuel tank. Power tools usually come in two main voltages, either 12 or 18 volts (20 volts is essentially the same as 18 volts in real-world applications, which is why you often see it marketed with an asterisk).
You’ll have a wider variety of options when it comes to battery amp-hours. The greater the amp hours, the more cells in a power pack. That makes it heavier and more expensive, but it offers longer runtime. For short projects, a lightweight 18-volt battery at three or four amp-hours works fine. For longer projects, or for bigger tools that draw more power (like a miter saw), a six- to 12-amp-hour battery is a better choice.
While spending a weekend dealing with a leak or corralling leaves might not always be something you look forward to on the agenda, doing the work yourself saves money, builds skills, and inherently boosts the pride you have in your home. To create this guide, I talked with Robillard and included the tools he invests in here. As a former flooring contractor and journalist who has covered DIY and power tools for nearly 10 years, I’ve also suggested options based on my own experience. You’ll still have to put in the sweat equity, but the right power tools make a job easier and faster, which leaves you with more time to enjoy your weekend.
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The Best Power Tools of 2023
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At about 32 pounds, the DeWalt is easy to carry around to wherever the project is, and there’s no worrying about a cord. This saw uses the same 20-volt batteries that power the rest of DeWalt’s power tool lineup, and that power pack gives this saw enough guts to make 183 cuts through pine two-by-fours, or 275 slices through 3 1/4-inch-tall pine baseboards on a single charge. Built-in LEDs cast a shadow line onto the work, making it very easy to cut accurately.
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For a DIYer, some tools make sense to keep corded. One of those is a random orbit sander (unless you plan on smoothing out rough spots on the ceiling). The five-inch-wide disc accommodates a wide range of paper, so finding options in a few different grits at your local hardware store won’t be a problem. A dial allows you to adjust the orbits from 4,500 to 12,000 per minute, so you can tailor the machine’s sanding to the work material and the aggressiveness of the paper. The sander features a foam layer on the pad mount to absorb vibration, and together with the soft-grip handle, it makes this sander comfortable enough to hold with one hand. But a secondary handle in front is helpful for getting more control.
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Most DIYers don’t have room for a full-size table saw in the garage. But this Skil’s build, along with an outfeed table, comes pretty close to matching a larger setup. The gearing under the hood here is the same worm drive found in the brand’s legendary circular saws, which carpenters and framers prize for their longevity. It delivers max torque to slice through hard materials even when the blade is fully extended to cut 2 5/8 inches. The rack and pinion fence is far more accurate than the clamp-style version found on lesser saws.
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Blurring the line between 12-volt and heavier duty 18-volt drills is this subcompact version of the latter. With a svelte weight and size—significantly smaller than full-size 18-volt versions—these tools still have the power to last all day while driving big screws and hogging out large holes. The impact driver’s 1,800 in-lbs. of torque allows you to easily set deck screws, lag bolts, or structural screws with one hand, while the drill/driver is the right choice for holes or setting screws with a little more finesse—like installing door hardware.
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Echo makes some of the best gas chainsaws out there, and this 56-volt version is just as capable for the occasional user. The 18-inch bar can fell about a 30-inch diameter tree, and it features metal bucking spikes (a series of metal teeth that you jam into the log and use as a pivot point to tip the saw down for a more controlled cut), not the plastic versions cheaper saws have. Make up to 200 cuts on a single charge with a tool that starts with the press of a trigger—no ripcord yanking after a winter of sitting in the shed. Expect all the power and speed of gas, without the fuss—or noise—of an engine.
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Electric pressure washers are just as capable as their gas counterparts, and since you’ll have to be tethered to a garden hose anyway, adding a power cord isn’t a huge inconvenience. This Greenworks version pumps 1.1 gallons per minute at 3000 psi (and two gallons per minute at 100 psi), which means it’s capable of both blasting paint off bricks and more delicate work like cleaning a car (just be careful—it's very easy to destroy a car's paint by going at it with a pressure washer). A 35-foot cord means getting power shouldn’t be an issue, and neither is storage: Tip the tool upright for more compact storage in the garage or shed.
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A string trimmer is already a two-in-one tool: Depending on how you hold it, it can cut grass near walls or carve a straight line into the edge of a lawn. This Ego kit is even more useful with a split shaft design that allows you to plug different attachments onto the same motor. Start by trimming the lawn, then undo a latch, swap that tool out, add in a steel edger, and redefine the transition between lawn and hardscaping—all with the same battery. The system has 10 total attachments (sold separately) you can add à la carte to handle things like light snow, tree branches, and brush.
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Doing your own electrical work can be tricky. Wires are not always labeled, and often they’re missing color-coded sheaths that distinguish a hot wire from a neutral one. This four-piece Klein kit includes a multimeter to measure AC/DC voltage of wires and things like batteries, diodes, and those holiday lights that won’t work. The plug uses simple-to-understand LED lights to diagnose household outlets, and it has a non-contact meter, so you can confirm wires are energized or not without touching them with metal. Everything here, along with a solid pair of lineman’s pliers, is a rock-solid base for a DIY electrical tool kit.
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Most homeowners know the value of the classic, Craftsman-style utility vacuum for big messes during demolition. But a smaller, battery-powered sucker might be even more handy in daily life. This 10-pound Milwaukee uses a 12-volt battery, and the toaster oven-size build makes it easy to bring to the mess, whether that’s a leaking water heater in the basement, some drywall dust in a bedroom upstairs, or the car outside; according to Milwaukee, it also creates 40 percent more suction than other brands' 18-volt offerings. It can pick up wet or dry messes and includes a HEPA filter. This vac can also attach to tools that have dust extraction systems, like a circular saw or sander, which makes working in finished spaces neater. And all the parts are stored inside the unit, so there’s less of a chance you’ll lose something.
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After testing multiple cordless track saws, Robillard likes the Milwaukee version the best, and it's easy to see why: a brushless motor uses battery power more efficiently, yet it still has the rotations per minute (RPM) and power to slice through everything from plywood to 2 1/4 inches of hardwood. A plunge saw, when paired with a 55-inch-long track (included in the track saw kit), makes cuts as accurately as any table saw but with far less risk, since there is no exposed blade.
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Battery-powered ride-on mowers are nothing new, but their lap bars are less user-friendly than the universally understood steering wheel. Fully charged, this tractor cuts 2 1/2 acres by relying on a single 80-volt rechargeable battery. With power equivalent to a 23-horsepower engine, the Ryobi carves a 46-inch wide path at seven miles per hour, all with zero gas or oil to deal with, and much less noise. And yes, there is a cup holder.
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Early iterations of battery-powered leaf blowers were underwhelming. But this 40-volt Husqvarna plows leaves out of the way with 800 cubic feet per minute (cfm) of air at 200 mph, matching the performance of gas machines. At 10 pounds, it’s 15 percent lighter than other 56-volt blowers, and it produces just 71 decibels, which is about as noisy as a vacuum. You get an easier tool to maintain, and your neighbors get much less noise pollution—everyone wins.
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This Ryobi is a new take on inflators: It uses a tiny four-volt battery to fill up balls, bike tubes, and tires at pressures under 100 psi. The one-pound inflator can strap to your bike (it comes with a Presta valve adapter) or fit in the glove box to top off car tires. It comes with a USB cable to make recharging easy and an LCD readout to help you pump in just the right amount of air. Is this gutsy enough to inflate a fully flat car tire? Probably not, but for sports gear and bikes, it’s exactly what you need and nothing more.